San Diego Periodontist Discusses Oral Cancer Facts & Detection

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checking mouth with tongue depressorAn important part of your routine dental checkup involves inspecting more than just your teeth and gums, but also your entire oral cavity for signs of trouble. Many of the most destructive systemic illnesses can exhibit early signs in the form of lesions, ulcers, and other oral abnormalities, including oral cancer. Though not as well-known or widely-discusses as other cancers, such as those of the breast and lung, oral cancer still affects a large portion of the U.S. population, and often possesses a less-than-stellar survival rate. Your San Diego periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, helps shed light on the dangers of oral cancer, and explains how to increase your chances of avoiding it with regular oral cancer screenings and periodic self-examinations.

What You Should Know

  • Oral cancer is a general term that encompasses cancers of the mouth, tongue, tonsils, and throat, along with other oral tissues. Of all cancers in the head and neck category, oral cancer is the most prevalent. (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Answers: What is a Gum Graft?

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woman covering her smile shylyHow your gums look can significantly impact your smile’s appearance. For instance, a gummy smile (excessive, uneven periodontal tissue) can make your teeth appear crooked even though they’re perfectly straight. Your periodontal tissue’s health, however, affects much more than appearance, and if it can’t effectively perform its duties, then your entire oral health is at risk. Today, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains how a gum graft can provide afflicted gums with the support they require, and how you can help prevent damage or disease from compromising your periodontal tissue.

A Little Support for Your Gums

The soft, pink tissue that surrounds the bottom of your teeth actually serve to support and protect the roots of your teeth, which erupt from your jawbone. Unlike the crowns, or top portions, of your teeth, the roots aren’t protected by strong tooth enamel. Instead, your gums seal the roots from harmful bacteria and other irritants. Exposed roots are prone to decay and can be painful. Recessed gum indicates bone loss- which can lead to tooth loss! A gum graft is a surgical procedure that utilizes your own tissue, or tissue from another donor source, to restore this seal when it’s been compromised by gum recession or periodontal disease. (more…)

Dr. Ann Kania’s Good Oral Health Quiz

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little man with a quiz signHow important is knowledge to your good oral health? Knowing to brush and floss your teeth every day is more habit than knowledge, but if you don’t know what signs can indicate that your hygiene routine has failed, then you might risk extensive dental damage from severe disease. Knowing the true dangers of untreated oral diseases can motivate you to seek treatment promptly, and understanding your options for treatment can help you make the right decision to preserve your oral health, as well as treat your immediate concerns. To test your knowledge or oral health and oral diseases, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, offers this brief quiz concerning your smile’s wellbeing.

Oral Health and Oral Diseases

1.) Oral bacteria, which form dental plaque, are a main cause of dental diseases. Which bacterium is specifically linked to periodontal inflammation and disease?

a.) Porphyromonas gordonni                                      c.) Porphyromonas gingivalis

b.) Streptococcus gingivalis                                          d.) Streptococcus mutans (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Answers: Are Dental Implants Right for You?

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pretty older woman thinkingThe short answer is often yes, dental implants are a great choice for restoring your smile after tooth loss. Nevertheless, like all dental treatments, and like any surgery, there are considerations that you must take into account before you are ready for dental implant placement. Your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, helps you determine if dental implants are the right choice for you by asking a few questions that you should ask yourself concerning your tooth-loss situation.

How many teeth have you lost?

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing your appropriate replacement teeth is how many teeth you’ve lost and their exact position in your smile. However, regardless of how many teeth you’ve lost and where they were once located, one or more dental implants can offer your dental crown, partial, or full denture support that make your natural healthy teeth formidable—a foundation embedded within your jawbone. (more…)

Want Help to Quit Smoking? Your Encinitas Periodontist is Happy to Help

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quit smoking signAs part of our dedication to your oral and overall health, Dr. Ann Kania has spoken expansively about the effects of smoking and smokeless tobacco on all areas of your wellbeing. Your Encinitas periodontist is also proud to provide you with assistance in your quest to quit smoking; however, the care we offer doesn’t stop at smoking cessation. As you overcome your destructive smoking habit, Dr. Kania will also work closely with you to repair the oral and periodontal damage caused by smoking and tobacco use.

Smoking Cessation and More

Among the many dangers that smoking and chewing tobacco pose is the increased risk of dental disease and damage, as well as the inability of your oral tissues to heal due to molecular interference and an inhibited flow of oxygenated blood. When you quit smoking, your oral tissues have a greater chance of healing and recovering, and with advanced treatments, such as laser-assisted periodontal therapy and gum grafts, Dr. Kania can help restore damaged or lost gum tissue, which may not have been possible while you were smoking. (more…)

San Diego Periodontist: Why Smokeless Tobacco isn’t Safer than Smoking

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hand grabbing chewing tobaccoHopefully, you realize that cigarette smoke presents a serious risk to your oral and systemic health. While smokeless tobacco is just as dangerous, some people seem to be under the impression that chewing tobacco, as opposed to burning it, makes it less of a threat. Unfortunately, that’s not true, and the misconception may be placing some patients at an unnecessary risk for oral cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Your San Diego periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains what’s in your smokeless tobacco, and why it’s just as much of a bane to your health as smoking cigarettes.

What’s in Your Smokeless Tobacco?

Nicotine is one of tobacco’s most notorious ingredients, but there are over 3,000 chemicals found in smokeless tobacco, many of which are known to cause cancer and other serious health issues. Below are just a few of the harmful chemicals found in smokeless tobacco, along with their surprising true natures; (more…)

Dr. Ann Kania Explains the Science of Periodontics

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healthy gumsPeriodontics is a dental specialty that involves preventing, diagnosing, and treating all forms of periodontal disease, as well as placing and repairing dental implants. More than a general dentist, a periodontist must undergo an additional three or more years of school beyond dental school and receive extensive training in periodontal-related areas. As a result, your Encinitas periodontist is specially trained to address the most problematic periodontal cases and help you maintain your new or dental implant-supported smile.

Foundational Care

Periodontal (gum) disease attacks the gums and jawbone that support your teeth. The first stage of periodontal disease, called gingivitis, describes a bacterial infection that is often sparked by dental plaque buildup. Plaque consists of myriad oral bacteria, some of which target your gums and the tissues that connect them to your teeth.  If inflammation is left untreated, periodontitis (gum disease resulting in bone loss) may result. Regular dental checkups and cleanings can help Dr. Kania detect and treat periodontal disease early using a variety of innovative treatments, such as laser-assisted periodontal therapy. (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Discusses–Which is the Better Toothbrush?

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beautiful woman brushing her teethMany people continue to debate whether the electric toothbrush is more effective than its manual predecessor at controlling harmful dental plaque and protecting your smile. Studies conducted suggest that electric brushes are generally more effective than manual brushes, and can provide additional features that make them especially beneficial to good oral hygiene care. Your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, takes a glimpse at why the unique shapes and features of some electric toothbrushes give them an advantage at protecting your smile from developing dental diseases, and how to help your toothbrush remain effective with regular professional care.

Electric vs. Manual Toothbrushes

Manual toothbrushes can successfully remove dental plaque from the surfaces of your teeth, but by automatically generating the majority of necessary mechanical power, electric toothbrushes can make the task easier to accomplish, reducing the risk of a tired hand causing you to miss a spot or brush too harshly. Some electric toothbrushes offer additional protection through special features. For instance, some power brushes produces sonic vibrations to help weaken bacterial plaque and make it easier to remove from your teeth and gum line. Others have small heads that are specially designed to reach those hard-to-reach places around and behind your back teeth, where bacteria are fond of hiding. Dr. Kania will advise you whch option is best for your unique condition. (more…)

A Few Good Reasons to Relax this Summer

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summer relaxingAlthough summertime is typically associated with rest and relaxation, that’s not always the case for many people. As a dedicated periodontist in San Diego, Dr. Kania understands well that stress is no friend to your dental or physical health, and that relieving excessive stress is a vital component to your continued wellbeing. If you need a push to ensure that you take time to relax this summer, read on to learn a few ways in which your body and your smile can suffer from inadequate down time.

Your physical health

Stress is a well-known and significant risk factor to cardiovascular health, but even if your heart and vessels are in good shape, stress can still affect more-immediate health concerns. For instance, prolonged anxiety can inhibit your immune system, making you more susceptible to the common cold and other systemic illnesses. (more…)

Dr. Kania Explains How Summer Sunshine Can Improve Your Oral Health

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mother and daughter sunny smilesThe warm feel of the bright sun caressing your skin can rejuvenate many people, bringing with it thoughts of beautiful summer skies and fun activities. The smile that often comes naturally at this feeling may also benefit from the sun’s summer presence, since your body reacts to moderate sun exposure by producing vitamin D (often called the sunshine vitamin). Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Kania, lists a few of the ways that summer and the sunshine vitamin can significantly improve your oral health.

What You Should Know About the Sunshine Vitamin

  • Vitamin D is essential to your oral health for a number of reasons, one of which is necessary role in your body’s calcium absorption. Aside from strengthening your supportive jawbone, calcium helps keep teeth strong by forming and maintaining tooth enamel. The mineral also helps your muscles and blood vessels work properly, and helps transmit your nerves’ impulses, thereby facilitating good oral health and function. (more…)